The lower extremity refers to the part of the body from the hip to the toes. The lower extremity includes the hip, knee, and ankle joints, and the bones of the thigh, leg, and foot. Many people refer to the lower extremity as the leg. In fact, the leg is the part of the body between the knee and ankle joints.

Which muscle is located in the lower extremities?

The lower leg lies between the knee and the ankle. There are many muscles located in the lower leg, but there are three that are particularly well known—the gastrocnemius and the soleus, which are the most powerful muscles in the lower leg, and the anterior tibialis.

Which major bones are found in the lower extremities?

The lower limb contains 30 bones. These are the femur, patella, tibia, fibula, tarsal bones, metatarsal bones, and phalanges (see Figure 6.51). The femur is the single bone of the thigh. The patella is the kneecap and articulates with the distal femur.